Has anybody got any good ideas on how to remove an emergency brake handle? It is pinned and keyed. The pin does not want to move. Heat it penetrate and beat it? I am looking over my options..

Robbie

The ones I have removed the rivet was completely corroded to the cross shaft so I had to drill all the way through. I use Boelube when drilling but any good cutting oil will work.

I start using a #30 cobalt drill at low speed, drilling half way through from each direction. Then step drill from #30 to #21 to the rivet diameter.

After that you will normally find the handle is rusted solid to the shaft. When I bought my '12 there was no rivet in the hole and the brake worked perfectly. It took heat and penetrating oil to break the handle loose from the shaft.

Robbie, I have had good results getting rivets out this way. Centre punch the rivet to get a start for the drill and drill 3/4 of the way through with a drill a little bit smaller than the rivet. If you still have a good hole in the rivet, use the next size drill until it just breaks through on one side. This usually happens because it is almost impossible to centre dot the exact middle of the rivet.

The use a pin punch to drive the remainder of the rivet out. Your drilled hole keeps the punch in the right place and there is not much of the rivet left to bind in the hole.

Hope this helps.

Allan from down under.

I'm with Royce about drilling the pin out from both ends to a depth where it isn't holding the handle anymore. Then heat. Even if it's just a propane torch on the handle's boss. A small legged puller would be nice but you can put the shaft loosely in a vice with the handle resting on the jaws and punch & hammer it out. Another "Trick" when handle is hot is to wrap a damp rag around the shaft just under the handle. It'll shrink the shaft a bit and could be just the thing you need to free it. Knocking or drilling out the remaining pin part is easier if you can see it. Less chances of a miss and you won't damage the handle 'cause it's off.

Royce gets another credit. I heated the handle sprayed penetrating oil on it as soon as it was cool enough to not boil off...and a little before : ) I got a tapered punch and beat the "fire" out of it with some good solid licks and the 104 year old pin moved. I hammered it down til the punch got too big then got a straight punch and easily tapped it all the way out. The pin turned out to be .250 inch in diameter. The handle cam off also with a few solid licks. Thanks!!

wow. i was gonna have to ask this question soon glad someone else brought it up! I only tried a good punch (holding it with vice grips so i could REALLY pound on it w/o fearing breaking a finger haha) This forum is great

Nathan,
I forgot to mention, I did use vice grips and a large ball peen hammer and a good aim while the handle was laying on a vice opened just enough to let the pin come through. Of course a good buddy to hold everything while you pound it a plus!!!!

I have found that ordinary candle wax works quite a bit better than any of the penetrating oils for this type of application;
1. Heat the object plenty, to red is fine.
2. As it cools just at the point where the wax just stops smoking apply plenty of wax. The wax will "wick" right in and stay there.
I have used this technique on many rust bolts and pipe plugs and nuts and it almost never fails.
At this time of year it is a good use for those left over stubs of christmas candles.

Boy, I am disappointed with this topic. I thought I was going to learn about the new E-brake innovation to go along with the E-timer.

What about the E-BPS (E-Brake Position Sensor)? Would there be a use for something like this?